Simpson stays calm when fan joins presentation
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Webb Simpson showed the poise of a champion - even during the trophy presentation for his U.S. Open title.
A fan dressed in a Union Jack knit cap crowed like a bird and jumped in front of the cameras during Sunday's ceremony, then was pulled away and flung to the ground by USGA executive director Mike Davis.
Simpson did not allow the odd scene at The Olympic Club to spoil the greatest moment of his career. He laughed, then cracked: ''Enjoy the jail cell, pal.''
Afterward, Simpson said he thought the craziness might be part of the script.
Not quite.
There was no immediate information on the squawker.
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OLYMPIC AGAIN: Michael Thompson settled for second place five years ago in the U.S. Amateur at The Olympic Club.
He tied for second with Graeme McDowell at the U.S. Open on Sunday - only this time the consolation prize was worth $695,916.
''I knew from the beginning of the week, if I can just shoot right around 1 over every day I would be happy,'' said Thompson, who held a three-stroke lead after the first round. ''I didn't expect at all to shoot under par. Then go out and shoot way under par on a U.S. Open is kind of unbelievable.''
Thompson said his experience with Olympic's tight, twisting fairways under pressure back in 2007 made a huge difference.
''I think it helped me a ton,'' he said. ''I learned to love the course. I play a fade, or at least try to. That's the shot I like. And this little golf course sets up perfect for a fade.''
Thompson finished a dozen groups before the final pairing, then had to sweat out the ending. He finished at 2 over, a shot behind winner Webb Simpson.
''I'm so young in my career, I'm just going to take this as a positive experience and build on it and hopefully gain some momentum for the rest of the year,'' said Thompson, 27. ''I want to make it all the way through the FedEx Cup. That's one of my goals. So I think this is a great steppingstone for me.''
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MASTERS-BOUND: Thompson's top-eight finish also earned him a spot in the Masters next year.
Ditto for John Peterson, who tied for fourth in his first major. The 2011 NCAA individual champion from LSU isn't on any tour right now, but he knows where he'll be in April.
''I was pleased with the way I played,'' said Peterson, who closed with a 70. ''I just didn't putt good again, but ... that's the best I've hit it all week.''
Peterson's week will be memorable for plenty of reasons.
There was the hole-in-one on No. 13 Saturday, followed by his priceless reaction when he tried to chest-bump his caddie afterward.
Then there was playing well enough to earn some air time on TV.
''My grandmother passed away a week ago yesterday,'' he said of her unexpected death. ''So I know my granddad's at home watching me. So it was pretty cool on Father's Day to play well for him and for my dad also.''
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RETURN ENGAGEMENT: Kevin Chappell qualified for next year's U.S. Open the same way he did this year - with his top-10 finish. He tied for sixth in 2011, and tied for 10th Sunday at 5-over 285.
Casey Wittenberg, who followed a round of 67 with a 70 on Sunday, also finished at 285 to qualify for next year.
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UP A TREE: If only Lee Westwood had Lee Jansen's luck, he might have a major championship by now.
Both men found themselves up a tree at Olympic's fifth hole during a U.S. Open, Jansen in 1998 and Westwood on Sunday.
Jansen's ball tumbled out like a gift from above after several minutes, giving him a chance to pull off a miracle chip-in par en route to a stunning upset of Payne Stewart. Westwood's disappeared for good.
It wasn't the same cypress tree that Jansen found, as that tree and numerous others have since been cut down. But it was in the same area.
Westwood used binoculars to try to find his ball Sunday but couldn't, forcing him back to the tee. He made a double bogey and dropped from three shots back to five off the lead.
He'd make up for it with an eagle on No. 17, but would finish tied for 10th at 5-over 285, four shots behind the winner.
After winning 35 times worldwide, Westwood is regarded as the best current player to have never won a major.
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